Position finder



Nm., m, w50 K R BELCH www@ POSITION FINDER Filed June 22. 1948 @M @Ma/im.

Patented Nov. 21, 1950 POSITION FINDER Keith Rogers Belch, Annapolis, Md., assignor to Weems Navigation, Inc., Washington, D. C.

Application June 22, 194s,`seria1N0. 34,430

r V l This invention relates to position-finding devices and more particularly to a combined sighting and plotting instrument especially useful in coastwise navigation of small ships and boats.

Position finding devices for taking sights on two or more landmarks are known as disclosed, for example, in the patents issued-to Von Opel, Patent No. 2,328,517, dated August 31, 1943,v to Raymond, Patent No. 1,050,393, dated January 14, 1913, and to Clark, Patent No. 807,153, dated December V12, 1905. In using these prior art devices, it is diflicult to make accurate sightings on two landmarks simultaneously since the observers eye must be shifted from one line of sight to another line of sight while holding or supporting the device properly alined with the rst landmark. While the Von Opel device is adapted to be used in plotting, its use requires knowledge of the compass course or lubber line of `the ship.

It is an object of this invention to provide a 'combined sighting and plotting instrument which is readily portable and which does not require a fixed support during sighting.

It is another object of this invention to provide a position finding device which does not require the observer to shift his line of vision while taking simultaneous sights on two landmarks.

It is another object of this invention to provide a position finding device which may be held in the hand during the taking of sights and which may then be applied directly to a chart to quickly develop a curved line of position thereon. j

It is another object of this invention to provide a sighting and plotting instrument whichin use does not require knowledge of the compass course or knowledge of the lubbers line of the ship.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a combined sighting and plotting instrument which may be carried in ones pocket and which is economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the artfrom the following description of a preferred embodiment illustrated in accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view partly cut away, showing the position nding device diagrammatically alined with tw'o landmarks.

Figure 2 is an elevation View of the position finding device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure l, showing details of that portion of the device adjacent the pivotal connection of the two arms.

2 Claims. (Cl. 33-67) `the pivotal axis of bushing I2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of the pivotal portion of a modified form of the device provided with supplementary adjusting means.

Referring to the drawings, for purposes of illustration, the preferred embodiment of this invention comprises two arms designated by the nu-A merals I0 and Il which are pivotally connected by a bushing I2. The inner edges of the arms I0 and I I are straight and are in line with the axis of the connecting bushing I2. The bushing I2 is provided on its upper end with a disc 'I3 which engages the inner end of arm I I, and the threaded lower end of bushing I2 is provided with a clamping nut I4 which engages a washer I5 against the under side of the inner end of arm I0. A marking pencil or lead I6 is secured in the lower end of bushing I2 by a clamping nut I1 with the marking point on the vertical axis ofdistant from the axis of bushing l2 and equidistant from the inner straight edges ofsaid arms.

This arrangement of linkages provides that the longitudinal axis of finger I8 always bisects the angle between the inner straight edges of arms I0 and I I. Adjustably secured to the upper surface of disc I3 is a plate 25 supporting a vertical mirror 26. The plate 25 is secured to the disc I3 by screws '21 passing through slots in the platev whereby the plate 25 may be adjusted in position on disc I3 with the mirror 26 aligned with the axis of bushing I2. An adjusting screw 28 may also be provided to permit a tilting adjustment of the mirror 26 to secure correct alinement with be provided with a line 29 marked thereon also alined with the pivotal axis. The inner edges of the sighting arms I0 and II are straight so as to engage each other when the arms are closed together and so as to intersect the pivotal axis of bushing I2 at all times. Where desired, the

outer ends of the arms I0 and II may be pro vided with removable extensions, as is well known in the art.

In the modified construction illustrated in Figure 4, an adjusting means is provided for close adjustment of the angle between sighting arms I0 and I I during sighting. The adjusting means may comprise a curved arm 30 passing through a suitable clamp 3| secured on arm I0, the clamp The mirror may 3 3| having a thumb screw 32 engageable with the arm 30. The end of the arm 30 adjacent the arm l I is threaded for engagement with a threaded bushing 32, the latter being mounted in a small bracket 34 secured to the arm il. The bushing 33 is provided with a projecting knob 3'5 adapted to be turned by the operators thumb and finger. During sighting, the thumb screw 32 may be released: for 'rough adjustmentoffthedea vice, and-may then be turned down oriv thefarm 30, close adjustment then being made by the knob 35.

It will be obvious that various other:l

.. arms l and H are desired, such extensions equivalent adjustment mechanisms may besubp stituted for that shown in Figure 4.

The method of operation andfuse'o the coni-1 .f

bined sighting and plotting device .willln'owib described. The device may be held inthe opzontal plane. A along the inner straight edge of arm I0 to a known' charted-landmark--B While maintaining the arm. i6 -aliriendv with .landmark B, he moves the arm. il *until h-iseye A sights the Second charted landmark C on line 29 in Ymirror 2 6 aligned along Vthe inner straight edge eff-armH-llt It-isvnotnecessa-ry for the operator to change his line ofy vision during sighting-since the mounting of themirror 2% i andthe linkages wand 2B cause the'mirror toalways bisect the angle-between theV twosighting-edges-and therefore reflect the-image sighted along-arm Ij-l tol-thevline of sight alongA arm i9. Thus one' landmark is sighted over the top of mirror 25 and along arm N as the other-landmark C is sighted in the mirror 26 along the samelineoi vision. VAfter the two landmarks are-roughly sighted, the clamping screw Sii-may lie-.locked against thearm 3S anda precise adjustment 'may then-be madeby turning knobA 35Y in the proper direction. When using devices without the supplemental adjustingmeans shown in gure 4, the operator may tighten-the lclampirgnut it tolock the device in the sighted-angular: position.

The device is then laidon a chart bearing thetwolndmarks and C. A pair of dividers are. placed on the chart with one point `.on Vlandmaiklandfthe other point on the landmark- C. The` device is moved against the dividersso that oiepoint engages the-inner straight edge of.- arm 'ifand' the otlvi'erpoin't engages'the inner straight edge of arm .l l. The device is then. moved. over tl'ie'chart with the arm edges always incontact .Viththe. dividerpoints. A 'curved'..l'ine of posit'OlvviI'l then be marked 0n the chart by the marking. point i5'. Every pointv on the. line so inscribed vwill thus make an anglewithffthe two landmarks 'and C equal to the sighting angle between the sighting edges of arri'is and I'. Having then a curved line of position, the opeiatorfwill then.- make a secondlsight on anothery pair 'ofkn'own landmarks and inscribe a'secnd curved' li'n'e of .position onfthe chart.` 'I Ah'e intersecti'ori` of the two curvedlii'res of'p'dsition designate's'lth'e position or X-oftheobserver. Where therelisfa-substantial time interval between sightings; 'the' cu'rveo. line of position 'from the 'inst' an accurate fix when the Ysecond'sigl'it 'is'fplotted Ordinarily the sightings may. be taken and plotted as to avoid the plottingv of small angles, andV landmarks whichy subtend anl observers angle maybepivoted to or slideable on the arms or may be'refovable therefrom, as is known, particularly vwith` theconventional three-arm station plotter. lheacombi'ed sighting and plotting device described herein may be economically made part'icularlysin'ceno'angular markings or scales are necessary.

The device may also be used to set a course from a known. posi-tion or nx. and a charted landmark by vplacing the device on-a chart with edge; of one armen. aline between the knownposition and the landmark, adjust-ing the other arm the desired course,v and then sighting the landmark-along one edge andaltering the course ofthe-ship for Yboat until its course Iis alinedwith the' edge of the other warm.. The' course may be sety in this manner without reference to a compass. The device may also be used to get a bow andv beam bearing, and other uses will-suggest themselves to those familiar Awith navigationvrhedevi'ce -iseasily adjusted` in proper alinemeritby separating thev arms Ii!v and tl to an angle of the order of thirty to ninety degrees,...

the position of mirror 26 by screws 21 until the rcected image-ot the straight edgepi arm il is coincidentr with the real image of the straight inner edge ofi-arm- I- as seenoverthev linel 29 of. mirrorv @5w-. 'I-he plane of mirror 26 is then bisecting the angle'between the inner edges off* arms l0 and H. With the ar-ms separated, the mirror suri'acel may be adjusted tobe .perpendicular tothe 'horizontal planeV containing'the sightingA edges by adjusting screw'f to bring the .reiiected image of the outer end f' arm H finto coincidence with the real image of theou'ter end 'f Yarm [il as seen over "thelineSi of vmirror 26.

obvious'that'many variations in design and attachments to theysighting and plotting device describedherein will be readily apparent to those v skilledin the art,.and this invention contemplates any equivalent structures within the scope of the following claims.

, 'I claim;

1. A sighting and plotting instrument :for use in chartingA a position, comprising inv combination, aA pair of tapered sighting. arms of thin a-tfmaterial, each armlhaving a straight sight/ing,

edge, the-end-poirtion of one -ar-m overlapping atrend portion of the other arm, abushing extending throughcsai'd endportions, a head' onv said bushing engaging the surface of one oil said armsva, nat-reilector.suppprtedbysaid head-closely adjacent and perpendicular to the planeoff the s ightinguedges ot saidA arms, andlinkage connecting.saidlheadv toA said arms for maintaining said reflector in a plane-bisecting the angle-.between'saidsightingedges; :said bushing having. 'an

axial recess therein aligned with the-intersection oiextensions-of the linesfoff said sighting edges t0 receiveaf marking" point.v

2: sighting-arid'l plotting. instrument for lise-' :.in charting a position cemprisingfin' combination; A

a pair of sighting arms of thin sheet material, each arm having a straight sighting edge, a bushing extending through each of said arms with its axis in alignment with the sighting edge of each arm, said bushing having a head engaging the upper surface of one of said arms, a flat reflector 9 a marking point for marking a curved line of position.

KEITH ROGERS BELCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,877,459 Hayes Sept. 13, 1941 FOREIGN PATE-NTS Number Country Date 779,474 France Jan. 14, 1935 

